


Clenched Jaws

by CerberAsta



Category: The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Drunk Sex, Elektra just doesn't know how to people, F/F, F/M, Multi, clothes swapping, polycule beginnings, she just kinda hunts folks and browbeats them with weird shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:53:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28095726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CerberAsta/pseuds/CerberAsta
Summary: Jessica thought Matt was dead until Elektra came into her office. She also thought she was straight until then, too.
Relationships: Jessica Jones/Matt Murdock/Elektra Natchios
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Clenched Jaws

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alderes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alderes/gifts).



#  It was a small, almost unnoticed thing. Little moments between their so-called super group. All fighting down hallways and high-fiving while making fun of the rich boy. He had to stay locked up, given that he was apparently the key to everything the Hand wanted.

So it was just her and Matt. The weird lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen. He had taken her case pro bono and then kicked way more ass than any blind guy had a right to. Of course she knew. Knew immediately. Not because of the ass kicking. Not because of his initial charity.

Something about him felt familiar. Like looking into a mirror. 

The way he clenched his jaw when there was trouble, practically grinding his teeth. Weighing options. She knew that look, of knowing you could do something, but not knowing if you’d come out alive.

The slight shifting on his legs, trying to assess how much he was about to hurt. Calculating if it would be worth it.

Luke… Luke wasn’t like that. He ran in. Didn’t care about the cost. 

Until she cost too much.

It was just the two of them, on the way to check a lead. The architect behind Midland Circle had offed himself but left behind work. So they hoped.

“You think this will turn up anything?” Jessica asked.

“Do you have a better idea?” Matt tersely responded.

She huffed and rolled her eyes.

“No need to roll your eyes,” Matt said.

“Like you could tell. Your hearing isn’t that good.”

Matt does something Jessica hadn’t seen him do this whole time. Smirk. So he  _ did _ have emotions other than pissed off. Neat. File that clue away for nothing useful, detective dipshit, where could you possibly be going with this?

She knew where that would lead. Only hurt.

And so, days later, when Matt was apparently buried under God fucking knows how much rubble after fighting his ex-girlfriend, Jessica wanted to feel vindicated. She was right. Matt would have brought a whirlwind, a whole fucking hurricane, into her life and gotten one or both of them killed.

Who needs that shit.

Not her. 

She had work to do.

***

Jessica had been on a nothing case, when  _ she  _ arrived. All perfect hair and Instagram filter face. It took her longer than the detective wanted to admit to recognize what was happening, but her plate had been pretty full as of late. Not every day you have to lock your best friend away.

Especially disconcerting when they knock before nine on a Sunday morning.

“What the fuck.”

It wasn’t a question. 

Jessica's mind rat had turned the wheel just enough, and it clicked.

Elektra Some-Kinda-Goddamn-Ninja Natchios. 

“I have a missing person to find,” Elektra said, “I heard there was a detective in this building. Did I get the wrong room?”

She flashed a smile with perfect teeth. Jessica could see the game being played, and she knew Elektra knew that. Dancing through the conversation, treating everything like a game. Making light.

“I don’t make a habit of working for people who’ve tried to kill me,” Jessica barked. 

“If I was really trying, you’d be dead,” Elektra said.

Jessica sneered. Elektra tilted her head with a doe-eyed expression of mocking pseudo innocence.

_ Don’t throw a punch, not another apartment fight. Your landlord will be through with you. _

“I’m not taking the case, but who are you looking for? Some Foot ninja? I’m sick of fighting ninjas.”

Elektra smirked.

“Matthew.”

Jessica stiffened. Of course there had been rumors. She couldn’t miss the news about Kingpin. Some part of her wanted it to be true, that he was back, really alive.

But so much of her was drowning, and she felt that grabbing one more hunk of rotted driftwood would be the thing that let her finally fall.

“That’s a look. Maybe I don’t want you looking for Matt after all…,” Elektra said lightly, mockingly but with just a hint of sincerity.

“We kicked some ass together. That’s it.”

Elektra glided across the room, silently. Of course she was quiet. Some kinda goddamn Greek ninja. Her subtle perfume filled Jessica’s nose as the woman’s commanding voice rolled into her ear and down her spine. 

“You were kicking ass with Luke Cage. And if the rumors are true, you broke a few beds with him. Which sounds… interesting, I must admit.”

Jessica bared her teeth.

"Come off it. Why play this game? Reveal yourself to me?" the detective asked.

"Matthew's trail is cold," Elektra said, before tipping her head slightly to the side, "and so am I."

Jessica hated herself for feeling a twinge. Blamed it on her hangover.

"But I sense you aren't up for me right now. A pity. I'll go knocking back around Hell's Kitchen."

Jessica spun around and waved one finger in the air.

"You know where the door is."

Elektra let out a light laugh as she left, and Jessica had to pinch the bridge of her nose. 

No wonder Matt got himself killed for that.

***

Okay, that wasn’t supposed to happen. 

Hold on. Let's back up.

Of course Jessica couldn't resist going after Matt. Not because she liked him. Not because they were partners or whatever. He was a mystery.

And so was Elektra. Namely, what did she see in Matt in the first place? And why was she suddenly toying with Jessica? 

Jessica had seen the Greek girl around town, surprised to realize Elektra had already noticed her first. Probably spying. But she never did anything, other than occasionally leave some liquors on her doorstep.

Some kinda weird goddamn ninja stalker.

Jessica didn't need that in her life.

She did need the booze, though.

So one drunken night, when Elektra came in without knocking, she had a mind full of questions and a fist full of rum. Jessica didn't feel the need to pull herself off the couch just yet. Needed to find her footing first.

"The fuck you want?" Jessica asked.

"I want Matthew," Elektra said, "But keeping track of him and keeping him safe is a full time job."

"M'not a fuckin babysitter for your boo-thing."

Elektra chuckled and shook her head. Jessica had to focus, her vision was a little askew.

"I see so much of my Matt in you. So very irritable, so very responsible."

"I'm nothing like that goodie two-shoes. That idiot actually thinks he's a hero."

Elektra cackled, tossing her head back. "Those doofy little horns?"

Jessica cracked and snorted. "That jumpsuit is so tight!" she blurted out.

"He's just very proud of his ass," Elektra said.

Jessica turned to the side, hastily suppressing a grin. "Hadn't noticed."

Elektra settled beside Jessica on the couch and reached for the mostly empty bottle. Jessica unconsciously loosened her grip and didn't feel as annoyed as she should have when Elektra pulled it from her fingers. The ninja had bought it after all.

"Why did you go along with Matt and those two other weirdos?" Elektra asked.

Jessica stared at Elektra for a moment, seeing how the New York nightlife lights poured through the window and framed her stupid, pretty face like a halo. She swallowed and tried to keep from slurring.

"Your Hand freaks were going to blow up New York, and I keep most of my stuff here. Fuckers."

Elektra nodded. "Only self-interest?"

Jessica rolled her eyes. More games. Even drunk, she could feel the words trying to herd her towards an inevitable conclusion, like yapping dogs.

"Yeah. I wanted to make sure Malcolm lived to pay me back."

Elektra raised one eyebrow.

"Anyone else?"

The private investigator leaned forward and raised one hand up in an incredulous gesture.

"Why wouldn't I want to save a bunch of idiots who haven't done anything? Most of the people here don't deserve to get blown up!"

Elektra reached forward and pressed her mouth against Jessica's. Jessica took a full five seconds to break away.

"Woah, what the fuck!"

Elektra shrugged.

"I guess basic human decency turns me on. I didn't grow up with a lot of it around."

Jessica's wide eyes and gaping mouth tilted and transformed from pure shock to a look of puzzlement, eyes narrowing.

"There's something wrong with you. Deeply. I say that as an authority on fucked-up people."

Elektra smiled and leaned right back in.

"I bet."

Their talk pressed on, the world blurred… 

And that led to Jessica waking up, wearing the gorgeous red dress Elektra had arrived in. Backwards. 

Elektra walked into her bedroom, wearing one of Jessica's hoodies.

She had a cup of coffee in her hand, which she placed on Jessica's bedside table.

"Why am I…?" Jessica trailed off.

She had a vague memory gurgling its way to the surface. Trailing Elektra's sides with her fingernail and saying something embarrassing about wanting to know what it was like to be so fancy all the time.

"You've got cute afterglow talk," Elektra said.

"Oh, fuck off," said the reddening investigator, "This was not supposed to happen."

"No really, most guys either grunt and roll over or babble about daddy issues. It was nice actually talking while riding the high," Elektra replied.

Jessica pulled a pillow over her face and yelled.

"Come on, you'll want something warm. I've got a lead on Matt."

Jessica snarled and stomped her way into better clothes, not bothering to wash the stink of drunk sex off her. She wanted to be done with the whole thing sooner than later and let her little freshman experiment be forgotten.

So whatever.

Find Matt, ditch both him and Elektra to make out somewhere.

Sounds great.

***

Life doesn’t just go on, it’s basically racing. Starting out as a pipsqueak doing parkour for fun turned into weird college parties and bad sympathy sex turned into a rundown apartment with Foggy and… Daredevil.

Finding Kingpin, fighting him. Dealing with Punisher and all of his insanity. Struggling to keep Elektra from the dark… 

Life just charged forward, taking and taking, never letting Matt feel like he was in charge or in control.

Not since finding his dad beaten to death in an alleyway.

Except…

Except with Elektra.

He didn't feel in control of Elektra. That'd be ridiculous, like controlling a windstorm or putting your hand into a dragon or whatever the rich boy was going on about. It was like… being in her presence gave him the center he needed. Some clarity. 

He wanted Elektra, craved that feeling again. She had slipped through his fingers, but her nature was never one to settle in a single place.

So Matt settled for Hell's Kitchen and its problems. Settled for beating the Kingpin in every way he could. Settled for the body count it took. Hoping any of it would matter.

He clenched his fists and his teeth and stared across the wide rooftops of his city. 

Elektra burst through the rooftop door, wearing a hoodie very much not her style… with Jessica Jones in tow… Daredevil felt that same sense of falling through life. The destination was always in flux, but the train never stopped.

Wait.

Something was off about Jessica.

Matt sniffed for a moment longer.

He didn't know where the train was heading, or if he was going to like it.

But it was going.

"Alright, I helped you figure out where your fucking loser lout of a boyfriend is," Jessica snapped, "Can I go home now?"

Elektra grabbed Jessica's wrist tighter and pulled her forward.

"Not a chance, detective, I still have a few more cases for you."

Jessica eyed Elektra as she was pulled over to Matt.

"What is this? Are you two…?" Matt asked, his jaw ever so slack.

"We got married, yeah," Jessica deadpanned, "Danny officiated with his stupid hand, and Luke was the flower girl."

Elektra grinned.

"Matt, you have to let me keep her."

The Devil of Hell's Kitchen held up one finger, then he heard something in the distance. A child weeping.

Elektra's eyes shifted.

"What do you hear?" She asked.

"A little girl. Sounds hurt."

That same steel resolve and calculation flashed across both his and Jessica's face. But it was over in an instant.

Whatever they were, there was someone who needed help.

"Then we'll come with you," Elektra said.

She glanced at Jessica expectantly. The detective rolled her eyes in agitation.

"Yeah," Jessica said, "Like I'm gonna let some little Matchstick Girl situation go down. Come on."

They leaped through the city, Jessica using strength to overcome the speed of their goddamn ninja training. 

Whatever Elektra wanted her to be, whatever Matt could come to mean to her… 

Maybe she could let something just happen, instead of waiting for it to sour.

Maybe.


End file.
